smith



(No Model.)

0. E. SMITH. BUCKLE GUARD.

No. 417,950. Patent (5d Dec. 24, 1889.

. UNITED STATES PATE T ()FFICE.

CHARLES H. SMITH, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE O. B. NORTH dz COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

BUCKLE-GUARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,950, dated December 24, 11889. Application filed October 24, 1889. Serial No.32'7,997. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern: pass over the bar A through the loop E be- Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. SMITH, of low the bar D, through the loop F, over the New Haven, in the county of New Haven and bar B, and as seen in Fig. 3, G. representing State of Connecticut, have invented a new Imthe strap. The central bar D is constructed provement in Buckle-Guards; and I do hereby to form a shield H, projecting over the loop declare the following, when taken in connec- F toward the end bar B, and, as represented, tion with accompanying drawings and the the shield is preferably recessed upon its 1111- letters of reference marked thereon, to be a der-side to correspond to the tongue of the full, clear, and exact description of the same, buckle.

to and which said drawings constitute part of In Figs. 2 and 3, I represents the bucklethis specification, and represent, inframe, and J the tongue.

Figure 1, a face View of the guard com- The buckle guard of my invention is plet-e; Fig. 2, a face view of the guard as apadapted to be applied to the free strap, while plied to the strap; Fig. 3, a side view of the the buckle is applied to the standing strap,

1; guard as applied to the strap; Fig. 4, a modias represented in Figs. 2 and 3. fication. K represents the standing-strap, to which This invention relates to an improvement the buckle is secured in the usual manner. in a guard for that class of buckles in which a Before the free strap is introduced through tongue is hinged to one bar of the frame and the buckle the guard is set onto the free strap,

20 extending toward the end of the frame, so as represented in broken lines, Fig. 3, with that the free end of the tongue may bear the shield toward the buckle or end of the upon the frame such as used in harnesses, strap to be introduced to the buckle. The free particularly buckles employed for the breechstrap is then'introduced through the buckle ing-straps of harnesses. The tongue of the in the usual manner and engaged therewith,

25 buckle necessarily projects through the hole and after it is thus engaged the guard is in the strap to the outside, and, thus protrudmoved onto the buckle, so that the cross-bar ing, is liable to catch the hairs of the horses B comes upon the under or inner side of the tail. buckle, while the shield H passes over the Various constructions of guards have been tongue upon the outer side, and as clearly 0 made to cover or form a shield over the end seen in Fig. 3. The guard bearing upon the of the tongue. It is to such guard that my rear side of the buckle and upon the outer invention particularly relates, it having for side of the tongue covers the tongue, and its object a simple construction which may while thus covering the tongue it prevents leave the buckle substantially exposed, yet the possible throwing of the tongue from the 35 cover the end of the tongue, and one which end of the frame of the buckle on which it will leave the buckle-strap substantially. free rests, so that accidental detachment of the for adjustment when occasion requires; and buckle is avoided, as well as the tongue comthe invention consists in the construction as pletely guarded. This guard leaves the buckle hereinafter described, and particularly reexposed, and the guard appears as if a per- 40 cited in the claim. manent part of the buckle and is an orna- The guard is best made of cast metal, and merit to the buckle. consists of a frame composed of a bar A and The guard is extremely simple and cheap a parallel bar B, forming the two ends of the in its construction, cannot be misunderstood frame connected by sides C C. The width of in its application, and does not interfere with 45 this frame corresponds to the width of the the adjustment of the strap. strap. To disengage or readjust the strap, the

Between the bars A B is a cross-bar D, diguard is moved away from the buckle, as repviding the frame into two loops E and F, the resented in broken lines, Fig. 3, so as to leave cross-bar D being raised above the plane of the tongue free. Then the strap and buckle 50 the end bars A B and so that the strap may are disengaged in the usual manner, the guard 10o still remaining on the strap ready for replacing after readjustment shall have been made. As represented in Fig. 1, an offset is made in the sides 0 0 near the bar B, this olfset shortening the bar B, corresponding to the width between the sides of the buckle-frame; but this construction is not essential, as the bar.B may extend directly across from side to side, as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 1, and without the oiisets it is not necessary that the bar B should extend entirely across from side to side, as it is only necessary that the guard shall take a bearing upon the i11- ner side of the buckle. Therefore the sides of the frame at that end may simply be turned inward at right angles, as represented in Fig. 4, the short projections affording sufficient bearing upon the inner side of the buckle. This, however, forms substantially a loop through which the free strap passes.

I claim- The herein-described buck1e-guard, consisting of a frame composed of two sides 0 C and ends A B, said frame having a cross-bar D between its two ends and forming a loop E between it and the end A, the said crossbar being above the plane of the ends of the frame, and the said cross-bar constructed with a shield H, turned away from the loop E and toward the opposite end of the frame, and so that the said shield and the portion of the frame beneath it are adapted to embrace the buckle and tongue, substantially as described.

CHARLES H. SMITH.

Witnesses:

FRED C. EARLE, J. H. SHUMWAY. 

